To obtain a passport, the user submits two hardcopy images of themselves along with a proof of identity to the passport-issuing agency. If the user is not personally known to the acceptance agent, proof of identity is required. Proof of identity can be a previously issued passport, a commercially issued document such as a bearer document, a Certificate of Naturalization, a driver's license, or a Government Issue Identity card or pass. The user can send, via the U.S. Postal Service, the two hard copy images and proof of identity to the passport-issuing agency. In addition to proof of identity the passport-issuing agency requires proof of citizenship such as a certified birth certificate or previously issued passport. The reason for the proof of identity and proof of citizenship is to insure that the image on the passport is an authentic image of the person carrying the passport. By use of the term “authentic” it is meant that the image can indicate to a viewer or a reader with a high degree of certainty that the image has not been tampered with or changed. Digital technologies enable a user to capture and digitize a self-image for use on a passport. When the image is in the form of a hardcopy print or photographic negative, the image can be digitized by scanning the print or photographic negative to obtain image data which is then stored as an image file on a computer. The user's image can also be captured using a digital camera such as a KODAK DC290 Zoom Digital Camera or a KODAK Professional DCS 660 and then the image file can be loaded directly into a computer.
Digital printers such as KODAK PS 8650 Color Printer or a KODAK Photo Printer 4700 are capable of digitally printing an image from the stored image file. Prints produced using printers such as those listed above, have been deemed acceptable for use on passports. When an image is printed digitally, additional data can be encrypted into the image. The encryption is accomplished by using pixels in the image itself to encode specific information. This method of encrypting information is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,920 to Scott J. Daly et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,819 to Scott J. Daly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,639 to Chris W. Honsinger et al, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,516 to Chris W. Honsinger et al,
Another method incorporating additional information into a digitally printed image is to print the added information using inks or dyes that are not visible or scannable under normal viewing conditions. These inks or dyes are viewable or capable of being scanned under special lighting conditions such as infrared or UV lights. Eastman Chemical Company under the trade name N.I.R.F. (near-infrared fluorophore) inks sells appropriate suitable ink for placement of the information.
Digital printing technologies allow images to be printed from digital files stored on servers. The passport image files can be downloaded to remote viewing locations on demand. Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/359,152, filed Jul. 22, 1999, entitled “Authorizing the Printing of Digital Images” by Patton et al describes a method for sending a digital image file to an authorizing agency.
A problem is that the methods currently used to produce passports do not provide a method for directly linking the image on the passport and the information on the passport. Currently there is nothing contained in the image such as a code or encrypted message to link the image to the passport. Hence, linking it to the person carrying the passport. Therefore it is possible to remove one image from the passport and replaced with a different image.
The present invention is directed to authentication document and a method for producing them, which overcome the problems of the prior art.